Floating deck and its under structure for storage tanks



Jan 6, 193E= J. F. PATTERSON 1,737,546

FLOATING DECK AND ITS UNDER STRUCTURE FOR STORAGE TANKS Filed Oct. 21, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 1 John E Baii'e wn,

Jan 6, 1931. J. F. PATTERSON 1,787,546

FLOATING DECK AND ITS -UNDER STRUCTURE FOR STORAGE TANKS Filed Oct. 21, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 6, 1931 uNiTan STATES PATENT rA'rrERsoN, or WARREN, OHIO, AssIeivoR 'ro THE WARRER CITY Tamra BOILER comra w, or WARREN, OHIO, A CORPORATION or OHIO OFFICE FLOATING imcx AND ITS UNDER s'rRuc'ruRnroR STO AGE Turns 7 Application filed October 21, 1927'. Serial 1T0.-227,833.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in storage tanks of the floating deck type and more particularly tothe floating deck and its under-structure.

The present application is a companion to the four other a plications filed by me of even date herewit As is well known to those skilled in the art, there is a type or class of storage tanks for oils which is provided with a floating deck,1that is, a deckfitting withinthe outer shell or casing and in sealed relationship thereto, which deck rises or falls withthe rise and fall of the liquid in the tank.

. One. of the advantages of this type of storage tank isthat there is less-evaporation and less danger from fire.

The present application relates more specifically to the deck and its under-structure, and one of the principal objects is to provide a deck that is so arranged and bracedthat should the tank become empty and the deck have to rest on the bottom of the shell or casing,therewill beno chance of the deck collapsing and thus endangering the many different mechanical parts and features which are used for various purposes in conjunction with the floating deck.

, Stillanother object of the invention is to provide a' deck that maybe quickly and readily assembled and will float, and rise and fall with the liquid inthe tank, and at the same time will be capable of self support should the tank become empty.

With these and otherobjects in view, the invention consists in certain new and novel arrangements and combination of parts, as,

will be hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims. v Referrin now to the drawings showing a preferre embodiment, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the tank, parts being broken away' for the sake of clearness, and Fig, 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. I t' Itmight be mentionedat the outset, that a number ofparts, shown in the companion cases, are not shown or described in detail in the present application, because these parts and attachments form the subject matter of the companion cases.

Furthermore, those parts that are shown,

here, and described in detailin the companion cases will-only be described generally in the present application.

Glancing now for the moment to Fig. 2,

'there will be seen an outer casing or shell" 1, which is formed in the usual manner by riveting a number of plates together, the casing being open at its top 2 and provided with a rim or flange 3, so that when the oil is stored, there will be no danger of the tank bulging at its side. Of course a bottom 4 is provided and is especially braced as will be shortly describe There is shown an arrangement at the 1 side of the tank, Fig; 2, which comprises an automatic valve 5 and its trigger 6, which mechanism forms the subject matter of a separate applicatiomvand has an automatic means for preventing any discharge of oil through the pipe 7 should the flexible pi e 8 break, which pipe'8 isconnected with t e deck as will also be shortly mentioned.

Referring now to the deck and the understructure, there is shown an inner'casing 9, which is, also open at its top, and is provided with a plurality of upwardly extended seal plates 10 and vertically extending seal plates 11, these plates forming the subject matter of another of the companion cases.

Extending from the bottom 12 of this inner or deck casing is the central up-right or strut 13, to which a plate 14 is fastened and from which the stringers 15 extend, these stringers in turn being connected at their outer ends respectively to a plurality of radially extending I-beams 16, which are fastened to the bottom of the casi' g.

Centrally of the bottom of the casing there is an opening 17 in which is secured an automatic valve 18 to which in turn is connected the heretofore mentioned flexible pipe 8, and

there is shown in dotted lines a further valve '19, which in turn cooperates, through suit; .able connections, with the trigger'6. These several valves, hose and trigger mechanisms comprise the automatic means for dischariing any water that may fall within the dec and also provide a means for automatically preventing the emptying of the tank should the pipe Sbecome damaged. (Described and claimed in companion case).

It will be noticed that the bottom of the inner casing 9 is slightly inclined towards its center so that any water accumulating on the deck will flow towards the center along the different beams as shown by the arrow and through the flexible pipe 8 and the pipe 7 to be discharged from the tank.

The sealing plates 10 and 11 of course pre: vent any water from falling down between the deck and the casing andinto thetank. Located beneath the inner casing of the deck there is shown a plurality of legs 20, which are in the form of channels, and are arranged in circular for1nation,-or in other words, form an outer circle of legs.

In the same manner, there is another inner circle of legs 21, which are likewise formed of channels, while small plates 22 are provided at the top of these legs which are riveted to the legs and to the bottom of the deck casing.

As may be seen in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, thereis also provided a plurality of'braces 23 that extend from. the bottom of each leg to the bottom 12 of the deck casing, and these may be of channel form and bent at their ends to properly fit within the channels forming the legs.

So that the sectional view will not appear too crowded, a number of these braces 23 and 30 are omitted from the view but it willbe understood that one is used extending from each leg.

To further brace the bottom of the deck 2 and to tie the under-structure together, I provide a number of supports 24 between the outer circle of legs, each support being riveted and braced by the plate 25 to the bottom of the casing of the floating deck. To the bottomof each of these supports, I rivet a tie plate 26, to which in turn is secured the four tie rods 27, which in turn lead to the respective gusset plates 28 that are disposed at the top and bottom of. the legs. In this manner the legs are braced, one with respect to the other and also the bottom of the deck is braced between the legs.v Turn buckles 29 may be provided in the tie rods to give the desired tension. I

The inner circle of legs 20 are braced as at 30 and I provide tie rods 31 extending from the top of one leg to the bottom of the adjacent one as shown, turn buckles32 also being inserted in these tie rods so that the same maybe tightened as the rods stretch or expand.

In this manner it will be seen that the under-structure of-the deck is one that will proppositioned, but also supports it throughout the entire under surface. At the same time the legs are properly tied, so that -the entire 33 which are pivoted as at 34, one end of the pivotal arrangement being fastened as at 35 while the upper end of the finger is also fastened to the leg, "and small springs are provided to keep the fingers under tension. These fingers will always center the deck in its rising and falling movementin thetank.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a tank 'With a floating deck that will rise and fall with the liquid'in the tank, and at the same time will easily support itself within the tank should the tank become empty. 1

It will be noticed that the legs'are of such length that it is possible to put numerous attachments beneath the deck without any chance of them being damaged should the tank become empty and the deck rest on the bottom thereof. I

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A floating .deck 05 storage tanks, said I floating deck provided with a plurality'of legs secured to the under surface of the deck and immovable with respect to the casing, braces extending between the legs to the deck and further supports and tie means for supporting the deckwith regard to the legs and for tying the legs together.

2. A floating deck for storagetanks comprising an inner casing, ribs on the upper surface of the bottom of the casing, legs tightly riveted to the casing and extending from the under surface of the casing, braces extending between some of the legs up to the bottom of the casing, supports and tie means extending between the several legs for tying the same together and supporting the bottom of the casing between the legs.

3. A storage tank for oils comprising a shell, a floating deck within the shell, an under structure for the deck comprising a plurality of legs formed of channels and ar: ranged in two circular series, the inner series braced with respect to each other and the outer series provided with supports between the legs and tie means ext-ending from the supports to the respective legs to thereby more rigidly support the casing and tie legs together.

4. A floating deck having a casing, the

bottom sloping towards the center and means for draining the deck, the inner surface of the bottom being strengthened by a plurality of beams, an under structure comprising series of legs riveted against movement to said casing, braces and supports and tie'means extending between some of the supports and some of the legs to support the deck when the single is in its lowermost position with the s 1e 5. A floating deck for a storage tank com- 5 prising a casing and provided with an under structure, said under structure comprising a plurality of legs in the form of channels and fixedly secured against movement to said casing, and braces extending upwardly from the legs to the deck, sup orts secured to the under surface of the dec and plates secured to the supports, tie rods extending from said plates to some of the respectivelegs to thereby support the bottom of the casin between the legs and to more tightly tie the egs together. 6. A floating deck com rising a hollow super-structure capable of otation, a central hollow mast, an under structure capable of supporting the said deck during a period of 29 non-flotation and comprising radial arms tied to the upper portion of said mast, a plurality of legs extending downwardly from said casing and tied beneath said radial arms and secured at their upper ends beneath said arms to thereby bring the strain of the weight of the deck on said arms, tension fingers mounted on the outer series of legs and said fin ers adapted to contact with a tank tolthere y center said deck in its rise and fa l. 30 7. A floating deck for storage tanks comprising a shell, said shell capable of flotation, a number of radial arms secured to the bottom of the shell, a central mast, tie means extending from the mast to said arms, a plurality of legs secured at their upper ends to said radial arms, tie means securing some of said legs to each other and the tie means being in the form of a perimeter of a polygon.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN F. PATTERSON. 

